Madcap convoy rolls on

The madcap convoy that is the 2011 XXXX Gold Variety Bash pulled out of Hervey Bay on the first leg of its 3000km journey through Queensland.

Pialba Place, in Hervey Bay, rang with the clatter and growl of finely tuned – and the not so harmonious – motors, each at least 30 years old and housed inside extravagantly decorated car bodies.

The Shrek bus pulled in behind the XB Ford Mad Max 2 replica. The Keystone Cops swerved to avoid the Alice in Wonderland mobile. Members of the Bash community leapt out of their cars as they edged toward the starting line, giving away cuddly teddy bears and cowboy hats to delighted kids craning to see the action.

Good times had come to the region in the train of the Bash community – a new Liberty Swing for the disabled on the Hervey Bay waterfront and a small coach for the Special School. And the good times are set to roll on until Australia’s biggest and best charity drive curls its way back to finish at the Optus Gympie Music Muster on August 26.

One hundred and fifty colourful cars and more than 400 participants were cheered on from 7.30am yesterday morning as they picked up their route notes from the starting committee and took their first left turn out of the car park.